Talked to a very pleasant young lady at MDC today. Supposed to have the upland specialist call me tommorrow. Topics of discussion, weather, not habitat as a chief culprit in decline of quail and pheasants, WIHA program, and why we don't have one and all our neighbors do!, possible solutions to resolve the issue, ruffed grouse restoration to huntable numbers. Will advise if I actually get a call.
MDC update
- Thread starter oldandnew
- Start date
Friday came and went with no contact from the MDC. This is my third attempt to talk to someone about issues which concern us all. Only thing I've gleaned from all this is that MDC is finishing up a study which supports a finding that the biggest limiting factor to quail and pheasant numbers, currently, is the recent spate of terrible spring weather! So while habitat is normally the big issue,we can be awash in habitat, and still not have any birds due to the late, cold rainy springs. I suspect the snowpack for weeks doesn't help either, the last two winters. So weather or bust! I have personally suspected this for some time. In good hatch years you find birds in what has been marginal cover, in years like we have now,no birds even in some areas with tremendous cover, ad few birds even when you find them. We just need a weather break. It will take two years to get us back to even now. MDC apparently not interested enough to interact with a mere taxpayer, and life long Missourian. Worst thing we ever did was make them independent with their own sales tax revenue to run on, now they answer to nobody!
By the way, the recent spring weather has cut into the MDC's precious turkey population as well, which is probably the real reason any study at all was sanctioned. Upland bird, in the MDC dictionary appearing with a turkey, the only upland bird they really care about. Still to many around me. Way to many deer as well.